"Not Populism That Recklessly Proposes Giving Money to the Entire Nation"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, urged on the 27th, “Please consider a plan to provide disaster relief payments totaling 1 million won over 4 months, consisting of 100,000 won in cash and 150,000 won in kind, totaling 250,000 won per month as a special livelihood measure to maintain basic living for people pushed to their limits.”
On the same day, Ahn attended the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly via video conference and said, “According to expert analysis from a government-funded research institute, the target recipients are estimated to be about 27.5 million people, including small self-employed business owners, small merchants, daily workers, irregular workers, special-type workers, platform workers, and beneficiaries of free school meals, and the required budget scale is 27 trillion won.”
Ahn said, “Small self-employed business owners and daily workers, who were already struggling due to income-led growth, are now facing a harsh windstorm caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Companies are in an emergency, and ordinary people are at their wits’ end,” and criticized, “The 50 trillion won that the government claims to have released is invisible to desperate ordinary people. Even if it is visible, they say they cannot access it.”
He added, “Money must circulate in local commercial districts. Please consider a plan to pay 10% of the wages of all public officials, public institution employees, and public enterprise executives and employees in local currency or Onnuri gift certificates with a 3-month usage validity period,” and “Please also consider raising the simplified taxation standard (amendment to the Value-Added Tax Act) to 100 million won annually and temporarily exempting value-added tax for sales under 200 million won.”
He continued, “Please consider ways to reduce or cut health insurance fees, electricity bills, water bills, etc., necessary for basic living for households on the edge and small self-employed business owners and to achieve practical cash support effects.”
Ahn stated, “I propose to sort out the budget from the 512 trillion won 2020 main budget that cannot be used due to COVID-19 and adjust the items to prepare a supplementary budget for purposes such as supporting the livelihoods of ordinary people.”
Ahn emphasized, “What I am proposing is not populism that indiscriminately gives money to all citizens,” and “It is to support small self-employed business owners and ordinary people who are really pushed to their limits, but to use local currency and Onnuri gift certificates with specified in-kind benefits and usage periods so that it is effective for the recipients and practically helps self-employed business owners and the local economy.”
Ahn said, “Disaster support should not be universal but rather focused on major affected sectors and classes, which is more rational and appropriate,” and “The government authorities must be struggling as well. However, policies must be effective on the ground, and time is crucial now.”
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